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Read MoreRecently, I started a new professional venture. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a really long time, start my own company. This year I launched Storymind, a creative agency dedicated to storytelling. We help tell stories through video and content, as well as teaching workshops on mastering the craft.
Read MoreWe are finalists for Best Rock Band of 2023 in the Chicago Reader’s Best of 2023 list. Voting is live until January 14, 2024. Vote for Matt Derda & the High Watts for Best Rock Band in the city.
Read MoreListen to tracks that are exclusive to Bandcamp and cannot be streamed or bought anywhere else. New tracks include acoustic sessions, live recordings and demo.
Read MoreAs an independent musician, it can be tempting to join stream teams to grow your plays and make some easy revenue. For those that don’t know, stream teams are when someone puts a bunch of indie artists on a playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music and they all stream it often to drive up their plays. However, it's important to understand that participating in these teams can do more harm than good. Here’s some reasons why this can be harmful and some ways that might be a better approach to getting plays.
Read MoreMatt Derda & the High Watts, and indie Folk Rock Band from Chicago, are nominated for best emerging band of 2022 in the Chicago Reader!
Read MoreI was invited by Your Tuesday Afternoon Alternative With Dr. J to write about my favorite albums of 2022. Here’s a little about my favorite independent and non-independent releases of 2022.
Read MoreOur latest single is a jangly power pop rock tune and it’s now available everywhere you stream music. This is the latest single from our upcoming EP ‘You Didn’t Know?’ Pre-order the EP on Bandcamp.
Read MoreHere is part 2 of my blog series Music Eddie Vedder taught me.
Read MoreA lot of my musical influences have been introduced to me by Eddie Vedder and Pearl Jam. Here’s some of the artists I have learned from EV & PJ with some examples for your listening pleasure.
Read MoreOur latest single Bad Day (Gettin’ Worse) is now available everywhere you buy or stream music.
Read MoreSurprise! Today I released a new song. It’s an ode (that’s nice way to say it) to the year 2021. It’s called 2021 - Bad Day (Gettin’ Worse).
Read MoreMoonshine is a Southern Rock anthem that tells the story of a bootlegger from Eastern Kentucky driving fast, breaking the law and risking it all. Hard hitting guitar riffs and emotional vocal melodies make this song a barn burner and crowd favorite. The song is best described as a combination of Southern roots and blue collar Chicago grit. In other words, it's like bourbon and Old Style.
Read MoreWe’re playing an incredible show with Nick Leet of High On Stress, Jeremy Porter and The Embryos at Law Office Pub on Friday, September 24 in Yorkville, IL.
Read MoreOn Friday, February 19th, we’ll release a music video for our song Betsy Layne! The video will go live a 1pm EST/12pm CST on our YouTube channel or you can watch directly from this page!
Betsy Layne is a modern day murder ballad I wrote for my grandmother. Here’s the story behind the song. Also, Betsy Layne is now available on all music streaming platforms.
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